Arleigh Burke-class destroyer could get more firepower with AGM-179 JAGM

Lockheed Martin displayed a new Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer model at the Surface Navy Association 2025 conference in Crystal City, Virginia last week, showcasing additional vertical launch cells for AGM-179 JAGM that can carry up to 24 additional, reloadable missiles for counter-UAS and naval fire support roles.

The design, shown for the first time at SNA 2025, displays two banks of vertical launch cells carrying twelve missiles each, both located forward of the 64-cell Mark 41 VLS module.

The effort to put additional missiles on current surface combatants is one of the U.S. Navy’s highest priorities. Similar efforts have been seen with the Mark 70 Mod 1 Payload Delivery System (PDS) on Freedom-class Littoral Combat Ships, as well as BAE Systems’ Adaptable Deck Launcher (ADL) concept that adds an additional 12 reloadable Mark 41 VLS cells to Arleigh Burke-class destroyers.

This time, Lockheed Martin is pitching their JAGM Quad Launcher (JQL) to be installed on Arleigh Burke-class destroyers for counter-surface and counter-air missions.

The U.S. Navy recently modified the Littoral Combat Ship’s Surface-to-Surface Missile Module (SSMM) to act as a counter-UAS launcher with the AGM-114L ‘Longbow Hellfire’ missile. This was another effort highlighted at SNA 2025. The Longbow Hellfire operates with an active radar seeker, allowing it to perform limited counter-UAS roles in self defense. The AGM-179 JAGM builds on that capability with new technology and improved performance.

1/23/2025 Update:

A Lockheed Martin spokesperson clarified the role of JAGM-VL in a statement provided to Naval News. The clarification explains that JAGM-VL is not intended to replace the RGM-84 Harpoon, nor is it intended to compete with the U.S. Navy’s recent Over-The-Horizon Weapon System (OTH-WS) integration effort on Arleigh Burke-class DDGs.